No Parking Here

County says no sale to offer from Avalon condo group to buy land
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Thursday, November 16, 2006

AVALON — Cape May County freeholders on Tuesday night rejected a $61,000 bid by the Windward Harbor Condominium Association to purchase county property for additional parking.
The county's asking price was $1.1 million.

There were no other bidders at the Oct. 27 auction because the land — located on the county right of way off Ocean Drive and capable of adding 17 parking spots — cannot be built on.

Windward Harbor on Ocean Drive and Seventh Street burned down in a December 2003 fire.

The 45-unit complex has since been rebuilt. However, when the Avalon Zoning/Planning Board approved its plans in 2005, it asked the association to look for more parking spaces.

The association was not required to find them.

County Administrator Stephen O'Connor said the county's appraiser Metro of Marmora appraised the 4,535–square-foot land at $1.1 million.

Its value included the additional units that could be created by the additional parking, he said.

Because zoning requirements changed since it was built in 1970, Windward Harbor required more parking spots when it was rebuilt 35 years later.

Board Chairman Neil Hensel said the county's appraisal number seemed especially high for an unbuildable piece of property, and he would not expect the condominium to purchase that property at that price.

“We asked them (Windward Harbor) to pursue it to the best of their ability,” Hensel said. “They've done their job of trying.”

The condominium complex, located on a 71,900 square-foot parcel of land, sits off the bay in Avalon's northern end.

The condo association had previously and unsuccessfully sought room for additional parking from nearby property owners.

“Even with county land, Windward Harbor will rely on ... on-street parking,” according to the Planning/Zoning Board's approval, dated February of 2005.

The condominium association is represented by attorney Michael Fusco.

A woman answering the phone at his Ocean City office Wednesday said Fusco does not speak to reporters.

Anthony Taormina, president of Windward Harbor's board of directors, could not be reached Wednesday.

On Dec. 3, 2003, a fast-moving fire struck Windward Harbor.

It took 125 firefighters from 10 fire companies almost five hours to contain the blaze. The fire was so hot it melted parts of nearby fire trucks and houses.

There were no injuries, but the fire destroyed seven of eight buildings that comprise the complex.

The eighth building was demolished in May 2005 to make room for the new construction.

“This is one of those disasters that happens to a town once in a lifetime,” Hensel said.

To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:BIanieri@pressofac.com